UFC on ESPN: Overeem vs. Harris Predictions
- MMA News Now
- May 16, 2020
- 3 min read
By: Eagle Andersen
This Saturday features one of the most emotionally charged main events in a long time. The depth of the other fights on this card makes this a must watch for any MMA fan!
I am going to briefly breakdown each of these bouts and give you the most likely winner based their history. Each MMA News Now team member will also be offering their predictions.
Song Yadong (15-4-1-[1]) v Marlon Vera (15-5-1)
This fight has a lot of potential to be really entertaining and could even steal the show. Marlon Vera has looked lethal lately and has put together a five-fight win-streak consisting entirely of finishes. Vera has been apart of the roster since 2014 and will be looking to extend the best streak of his career on May 16.
Song Yadong has been absolutely stellar in his first five UFC bouts. He has three performances bonuses thus far. The only blemish on his UFC record came in his last bout against Cody Stamann in which he would've been awarded the decision if he did not have a point deducted.
Eryk Anders (13-4) v Krzysztof Jotko (21-4)
This bout should be fairly competitive but will not likely be very entertaining. The main factor in this bout will be whether or not Jotko has a good performance. Jotko seems to be the more well-rounded and better overall fighter in comparison to Anders. With that being said, Jotko has not always performed up to his full potential when fight night rolls around.
Although Anders may not be as technically skilled as Jotko he does have an advantage athletically. If he can explode inside and catch Jotko on a bad day then he will be able to walk away with his hand raised.
Dan Ige (13-2) v Edson Barboza (20-8)
This is one of those fights where the outcome is extremely crucial for the careers of both fighters respectively.
A win for Dan Ige would cause him to become more legitimized in the 145 lbs. division as Barboza is definitely the biggest name that Ige has faced up until this point. A win would extend his streak to six and establish him as a rising star.
Barboza needs this win to prove that he will not become a stepping stone. He already has 2 losses in a row and can't afford a third if he wants to stay relevant in the UFC. Barboza has some of the most vicious kicks in the game and will likely be looking to chop Ige down to size.
Claudia Gadelha (17-4) v Angela Hill (12-7)
In recent fights, Angela Hill has experienced a career resurgence and is on the best run of her UFC career with three wins in a row. Gadelha will be the biggest test of that Hill has faced since joining the UFC. If she wants to leave the octagon with her hand raised then she should look to keep the fight standing.
On the other end of the spectrum is Claudia Gadelha who has not been the same since losing to Joanna 2014. She has traded wins and losses and has been inconsistent at different times. With that being said, Gadelha is still an elite grappler and will find success if she can pull Hill to the mat.
Allistair Overeem (45-18-1) v Walt Harris (13-7-1)
This fight will be very emotionally charged due to Walt Harris' recent family tragedy that he suffered. It will be hard to predict whether or not this will have a negative or positive impact on his performance.
One thing is for sure, Allistair Overeem will definitely have the experience advantage and should pose the more advanced technical skills. If this fight can stay standing (excluding a flash knockout) Overeem should be able to outclass Harris and get his hand raised. Regardless of who leaves with another win or their record, this will be an emotional, fun heavyweight scrap.
Team Predictions:
Eagle's (@AndersenEagle) Picks | 7-3-0:
S. Yadong
K. Jotko
E. Barboza
C. Gadelha
A. Overeem
Mason's Picks | 5-5-0:
S. Yadong
K. Jotko
E. Barboza
C. Gadlha
A. Overeem
Buck's (@Nerd_MMA) Picks | 7-3-0:
S. Yadong
E. Anders
E. Barboza
A. Hill
A. Overeem
Aiden's (@DownToTheWire6) Picks | 7-3-0:
S. Yadong
K. Jotko
E. Barboza
A. Hill
W. Harris
Twitter Polls:
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